In recent years, the proliferation of smart cabins and ADAS in vehicles has increased the demand for automotive electronics and components. The performance of PMICs and SerDes ICs, which form the core of vehicle electronic systems, impacts the stability and efficiency of the entire system. In this context, ROHM's PMICs and SerDes ICs achieve a high level of integration into power supply units while supporting greater stability during high-speed data transmission.

ROHM and SemiDrive have been exchanging technologies since 2019, particularly in the development of vehicle cabin applications. In 2022, the two companies established a strategic partnership for the development of advanced technologies in the automotive sector. This led to ROHM components, such as PMICs and SerDes ICs, being integrated into the reference board for SemiDrive's X9H In-Vehicle SoC. Since then, the reference board has been adopted by several automakers to provide advanced functionality for vehicle cabins and other applications.

This time, ROHM and SemiDrive collaborated on the development of the REF66004 reference design with the X9M and X9E SoCs installed in vehicles. The REF66004 is expected to further expand the range of applications, including popular mass-market models. In addition to the SerDes IC used on the X9H reference board, ROHM also provides the BD96801Q12-C SoC PMIC and the BD9SA01F80-C buck converter IC to control the SoC, as well as the BD39031MUF-C general-purpose PMIC for ADAS, which supplies power to the SerDes IC. This solution supports the operation of up to three screen projections and four ADAS (surround-view camera) cameras. ROHM will continue to develop products for automotive infotainment systems that contribute to improved safety and comfort.

Zhang Qiang, President of Nanjing SemiDrive Technology Ltd.:
“As vehicles become increasingly intelligent, so does the demand for automotive electronics. SemiDrive focuses on supplying core components, such as SoCs and automotive controllers, for next-generation automotive E/E (electrical/electronic) architectures. The partnership with ROHM, which offers a rich semiconductor portfolio for ADAS and cockpits, will greatly contribute to achieving next-generation cockpit solutions. Specifically, ROHM’s SerDes integrated circuits and PMICs, which leverage original analog technology, are key components of our reference design. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with ROHM to deliver innovative solutions across a wide range of automotive fields.”

Tetsuo Tateishi, Member of the Board of Directors, Senior Executive, responsible for Research and Development, IT, Legal and Intellectual Property, and LSI Business, ROHM Co., Ltd., stated,
“ We are pleased to have developed this reference design in collaboration with SemiDrive, a company with extensive experience in automotive SoCs. As ADAS evolves and cockpits become more multifunctional, the role of automotive analog semiconductors, such as SerDes ICs and PMICs, is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, the new PMIC provided by ROHM for SoCs represents a novel concept in power ICs that can be flexibly adapted to next-generation automotive power system configurations. In the future, we will continue to deepen our collaboration with SemiDrive to enhance our understanding of next-generation cockpits and accelerate the development of a broad range of products, contributing to further evolution in the automotive industry.”

Reference design REF66004 incorporating the X9M, X9E, and ROHM products.
This reference design combines SemiDrive's X9M and X9E SoCs for smart cockpits with ROHM PMICs for SoCs and ADAS, SerDes ICs (for display/camera), an LVDS splitter IC, and an LED driver IC for vehicle displays. It is available on the ROHM website. The design offers a cockpit solution capable of controlling up to three projection displays and four cameras. Furthermore, ROHM's new SoC PMICs allow for arbitrary adjustment of the output voltage and control of the sequence via internal memory (One Time Programmable Memory), enabling flexible, high-efficiency power supplies tailored to the circuit requirements.

A reference board based on this design is also available individually upon request, capable of running multiple operating systems (OS) on a single SoC by leveraging SemiDrive's unique hardware virtualization capabilities. Simultaneously, a hardware security management module enables the transmission of operating system commands to the SoC and GPU. By swapping different SemiDrive SoCs with compatible pinouts, application specifications can be quickly modified without circuitry changes.

- SemiDrive's X9 Series Automotive SoC
: Spanning from entry-level to flagship models, SemiDrive's X9 Series of SoCs supports a wide range of applications, including instrument clusters, in-car infotainment, cockpit controls, and intelligent monitoring systems, and has already completed shipments exceeding one million units. Furthermore, a robust production system has been established thanks to extensive experience in mass production.

- ROHM Reference Design Page:
Details of ROHM's reference design REF66004 and information on equipped products are available on the ROHM website. Reference plates REF66004-EVK-00x (REF66004-EVK-001/002/003) are also available.